Shloka 9
Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ
Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements
तमायान्तं महाबाहुं प्रवपन्तं शितान् शरान् । जवेनाभ्यपतद् धीमान् हार्दिक्य: शिनिपुजड्भवम्,तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए शिनिपौत्र महाबाहु सात्यकिको आते देख बुद्धिमान् कृतवर्मा बड़े वेगसे उनका सामना करनेके लिये आ पहुँचा
tam āyāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ pravapantaṃ śitān śarān | javena abhyapatad dhīmān hārdikyaḥ śinipuṇḍbhavam ||
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Nang makita ni Kṛtavarmā, anak ni Hṛdīka at isang marunong na mandirigma, si Sātyaki—makapangyarihan ang bisig, mula sa angkan ni Śini—na papalapit habang nagbubuhos ng matatalim na palaso, siya’y sumugod nang ubod ng bilis upang salubungin at harapin ito. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito ang walang tigil na agos ng labanan: ang tapang at tungkulin ang nagtutulak sa mga mandirigma na tumbasan ang lakas ng lakas, habang ang bigat ng dharma at karahasang kaakibat nito’y nananatiling nakapaloob sa bawat sagupaan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos in wartime: when an opponent advances with lethal intent, a warrior bound by duty responds decisively. It implicitly points to the tension between strategic necessity and the moral gravity of violence.
Sātyaki advances while raining sharp arrows; Kṛtavarmā, described as wise and swift, charges forward to meet and oppose him, setting up a direct clash between the two warriors.